Such a cutting insert is known for example from DE 295 16 668 U1. This cutting insert has four long cutting edges which have convex ground arc contours. The longitudinal faces are bounded by short rectilinear cutting edges with the respective end faces at the short end sides and which via respective one-quarter-circular cutting edge corners, transition into the longer cutting edges. Thus all of the aforementioned cutting edges have positive leading edge angles which are formed on the longitudinal sides at the longer cutting edges with chip-forming troughs and similar troughs are arranged also in the regions of the one-quarter circular cutting edge corners.
A multiplicity of such cutting inserts can be uniformly distributed on a milling cutter head along the periphery. The cutting inserts on the peripheral surface and those on the end face of the tool carrier are so mounted that all of the cutting inserts in their effective positions have cutting edges which can remove chips in the radial or axial direction. Those cutting edges which in their effective positions are active in the radial direction project slightly beyond the cutting edges inserted into the end face of the tool carrier while the cutting edges effective at the end face of the tool carrier are so inserted that in the axial direction the cutting edges each project beyond the cutting edges of the cutting plates inserted into the periphery of the tool carrier.
In order to enable the function described in the aforementioned reference to be achieved, the insertion positions must be radial and axial so that the eight cutters are usable. It is here a disadvantage that the first plate must be offset from the next by a certain amount so that there will be no damage to the milled contour by projecting plates where there is an adjustable free angle. For the milling of crankshafts, the aforedescribed turning plates are not suitable in any case. The same applies also for the substantially identically shaped cutting plates of U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,005.